Maine Quit Claim Deed

• Signing – A notary public or officer of the court is required to witness the grantor’s signatures on a quit claim deed filed in the State of Maine.^[1]
• Recording – Like all deeds in Maine, this deed must be acknowledged by a notary and filed with the Registry of Deeds in the County where the property is located.
• Statute – Title 33, § 161
• Real Estate Transfer Tax – Must be filed with an accompanying deed and can be completed online or with the printable form.^[2]

Maine statutes authorize two different types of quitclaim deeds:

• a quitclaim deed with covenant
• a quitclaim deed without covenant

The quitclaim deed without covenant is closer to what is meant by “quitclaim” in most other states: the seller is only offering the interest that they have. A quitclaim deed with covenant, by contrast, means that the seller will defend the buyer against anyone making a claim to the property through the seller.^[3]

The quitclaim deed with covenants, in this sense, resembles a general warranty deed, and as a result, may be more desirable in some situations. Those creating a quitclaim deed in Maine should think carefully about what they are offering and the language of the deed. A quitclaim deed without covenant will typically just use the “release all rights in the premises being conveyed” without mention of any warranty.^[4]